It said: "This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services."

Nick Prebble, a forecaster for MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "A lot of people will be waking up to snow in Scotland this morning and there will be a light dusting in north-east England and Yorkshire.

"The snow will spread south-eastwards throughout the course of the day reaching Manchester, and overnight much of England will have snow flurries.

"But it will be throughout Monday when the heaviest snow falls, affecting central and east England and northern Wales.